Published 4:00 am, Friday, January 14, 2005

Photo: Darryl Bush

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Soccer player Alex Guzinski, a senior at Henry M. Gunn High School practices with varsity teammates at Gunn's field. 1/11/05 in Palo Alto Darryl Bush/The Chronicle MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SF CHRONICLE/ -MAGS OUT less

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Soccer player Alex Guzinski, a senior at Henry M. Gunn High School practices with varsity teammates at Gunn's field. 1/11/05 in Palo Alto Darryl Bush/The Chronicle MANDATORY CREDIT FOR ... more

Alex Guzinski says his life these days amounts to "soccer and school. " The facts suggest he's thriving in both, and that's a heady notion.

Guzinski, a 6-1, 175-pound senior at Gunn High in Palo Alto, maintains a 3.85 grade-point average in a course load of demanding college prep classes, and he scored a lofty 1,350 on his SATs. The academic demands for Guzinski are extensive at Gunn, so time-management skills are key.

"That's big," Guzinski said wholeheartedly. "If I couldn't manage my time I'd be (in trouble). School is overwhelming."

He's also scoring big-time on the soccer field with the powerful Titans boys team.

Guzinski, who wants to continue his soccer career at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., is a legitimate Division I soccer prospect, as well as an outstanding person, said Titans coach David Burgee.

"He's a jewel," Burgee said.

Guzinski said he has been talking to Yale coach Brian Tompkins about playing for the Bulldogs. He said he has received e-mails and had brief conversations with other college coaches, but Yale has shown the most interest.

When Burgee switched Guzinski to forward last month, he got what he expected -- immediate results. The Titans' attack suddenly had razor-sharp teeth, and Guzinski was gobbling up goals.

In short order, Guzinski pumped in seven goals and vaulted from relative obscurity into the Titans' team lead in scoring -- not a bad feat considering that Guzinski plays central defender on his heralded under-18 Santa Clara Sporting Ruckus club team. Santa Clara Sporting, one of the state's top squads in its age division, recently finished second at the Nomads Tournament in San Diego.

Defenders don't always have enough game to thrive as converted attackers, but Guzinski is a notable exception. He's a complete player. He excelled as one of the section's top high school midfielders last season, scoring 12 goals and displaying a command presence on the ball.

"His creative and technical abilities on the ball are superb," Burgee said.

Moreover, he's been having a blast in his new role at Gunn.

"I really like it," he said of playing forward. "It's a different twist to the game. It's just different from what I'm used to, so I really like it. It's a lot more fun than playing in the back."

The Titans, who captured the CCS soccer title two years ago, are likewise having fun as a tight unit. They entered last week with a 10-1-2 record (1-0-1 in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League DeAnza Division), after having placed third in the Homestead Christmas Cup. Gunn battled archrival Palo Alto on Friday night in SCVAL play.

Fitness is a Gunn soccer trademark -- the Titans run sprints every day in training and go through an intense preseason training routine -- which helps carry them through the tough matches and stay bonded as a team. The Titans' harmony comes from familiarity.

"I think a big thing for our team is team unity," Guzinski said. "Team bonding is big, because we're all friends. There's no single guy out on our team, because everyone has played with each other before, on club teams or in previous years, and I think it really shows. We all know how each other plays."

While the physical side of soccer is important, the mental side shouldn't be overlooked.

"I think most of it is actually mental, like 75 percent of it," Guzinski said, "because, for me, if I tell myself that I can do it, I will do it, even if my body tells me I can't. I think it's more mental rather than physical."

After having attended U.S. national team soccer matches at Spartan Stadium through the years, Guzinski said he has long dreamed of being a professional player.

The Guzinski family is steeped in soccer. Alex's older sister, Magdalena, is a former Gunn star now playing at UC Davis, and his younger brother, Konrad, 12, is a talented youth soccer player.

On his club team, Santa Clara Sporting, Guzinski is one of two central defenders on a flat-back four defense. Palo Alto High standout Pierre Meloty- Kapella also plays midfielder/forward for Sporting. Coming back from knee surgery, he had a strong tournament in San Diego, punching in some goals.

Sporting head coach Charlie Hatfield, a Menlo Park resident from the Dallas area, has enjoyed coaching Guzinski these past two years. Last year, Guzinski played on Hatfield's Palo Alto Cruz club team, a squad composed primarily of Gunn and Palo Alto players.

"He knows one gear: He goes wide open," said Hatfield of Guzinski. "He's a very aggressive kid. He's good in the air."

Burgee, who is in his second year of coaching at Gunn, was instrumental in building the University of Oregon women's soccer team from a club program into a regionally recognized NCAA Division I program. He was a Ducks' assistant coach from 1996 to 1999, so he has plenty of familiarity with the recruiting process.

Burgee said college coaches look not only for excellent players but great human beings as well. He believes Guzinski will soon make a college coach quite happy.